Shock-absorber.



c. L. FLORA.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION 'FILED Nov. 24. 1914. l

Patented Deo. 26,1916.

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crnaaLEs L. FLORA, 0F TOLEDO, omo, AssIeNon or cnn-HALF To FRED N.LAUEEN- THAI., on ToLEDo, omo.

SHOCK-ABSOBBER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led November 24, 1914. Serial No. 873,785.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. FLORA, a citizen of the United States oflAmerica,

residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Uhio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorbers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shock absorbers for vehiclesand, in the present instance, is shown as embodied ina vehicle wheel,although l vwish it to be understood that the invention may be appliedin other ways.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide ashock absorber for motor vehicles and the like whereby the body of thevehicle and the wheel fellies may have relative movement in the event ofthe wheels engaging obstructions and depressions in the roadway andwhich when applied to the vehicle will insure the smooth and easyrunning thereof without pneumatic tires.

lt is also my purpose to improve and simplify the general constructionof shock absorbing devices and to provide a shock absorber which willembrace the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and durability,which may be manufactured, installed and maintained at a minimum expenseand which may be so incorporated in the wheel structure as to render thesame dust proof.

lVit-h the above and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter setforth in and falling within the scope ofthe claim.

ln the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of avehicle wheel equipped with a shock absorber constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the wheel. Fig. 3 is aview in side elevation of the wheel with one of the side plates removed.Fig. 4 is a view 1n side elevation of one of the outer shields showingthe inner face thereof. Fig. 5 isa perspective view of the hub of theshock absorber. Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the springs. Fig. 7is a vertical sectional view showing a modied form of spoke receivingannulus. Fig.

' 8 is avertical transverse sectional view through a modified form ofshock absorbing device. Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the same,one of the end plates being removed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 deslgnates a hub adapted'tosupport the load and having the periphery thereof formed withtransversely disposed ways 2. These ways are spaced apart about theperiphery of the hub equal distances and each, in the present instance,is partially circular in cross section and has the restricted portionthereof opening onto the periphery of the hub. Passed through the hubcentrally thereof and suitably secured thereto is a sleeve 3 having theend portions thereof projecting beyond the opposite sides of the hub.Surrounding the hub concentrically thereof is an annulus 4 having theinner edge thereof spaced apart from' the periphery of the hub andformed with transverse ways 5 spaced apart equidistant and of a crosssec` tional configuration corresponding to that of the ways in the hub.4

Disposed within the space between vthe periphery of the hub l and theinner-edge of the annulus 4 are semi-coiled leaf springs 6 having theinner ends thereof looped as at 7 and seated within the ways 2respectively, and the outer end portions overlapping one another andformed with loops 8 curved in a direction opposite the loops 7 and ttingmoves relatively to the annulus, the peripheral edges of the end plateswill remain within the marginal edge of the annulus.

rlhe outer surfaces of the .end plates 9 are formed with outwardlyprojecting bosses l0 respectively disposed concentrically of the ends ofthe sleeve and preferably of noncircular cross section and formed inthese bosses are bolt holes l1 registering with the' looped ends 7 ofthe semi-coiled springs 6 to receive securing bolts l2 whereby the enrammed nee. ae, 1ere. y

plates will be securely fastened to the'hub and ythe inner ends of thesprings secured within the respective ways. Disposed Withvin the loops 8at the outer ends of the springs peripheral edge formed with a laterallyextending circumferential ange 16 encircling the adjacent edge of theperiphery of the hub. 'The inner face of each shield 14 immediatelyadjacent to the fiange 16 has securedthereto an annulus 17 and fastenedto the inner edges of the annuli 17 are buffer bands 18 formed of rubberor analogous cushioning material and adapted to be engaged by theperipheries of the end plates 9 in the event of very great relativemovement between the hub and the annulus 4. Formed in the inner face ofthe rings 15 immediately adjacent to ther inner edges thereof areannular grooves 19 and disposed Within the grooves 19 are circulargaskets 20 engaging the outer surfaces of the end plates to preventundue friction between the end plates and the shields and eliminate thepassage of dust and dirt between the shields and end plates. Formed inthe shields 14, 14 adjacent to the peripheries thereof and in the annuli17 on the inner faces of such shields are bolt holes 21 alining withsimilar holes 22 in the annulus 4 to receive securing bolts 23 wherebythe shields and annulus 4 are rigidly secured together. These bolts are.appropriately spaced apart about the shields and annulus 4 and formedin the periphery of the annulus 4 are radial sockets 24 spaced apartequidistant and secured within the sockets 24 are the inner ends ofspokes 25 radiating from the annulusand secured to the outer ends of thespokes 25 concentrically of the annulus 4 is a felly 26 having theperiphery thereof provided with an appropriate form of tire 27.

If desired, the annulus 4 may be formed of two circular sections 28having the confronting faces thereof cut out to receive the inner endsof the spokes, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

Passed through the annulus 4 adjacent to the periphery thereof aretransverse securing bolts 29 alternating with the bolts 23 and acting tohold the inner ends of the spokes securely within the annulus. In theform of annulus illustrated in Fig. 7, the bolts 29 also function tomaintain the sections 28 of the annulus in proper relative positions.

Manasse In practice, the Asleeve 3 is vslipped over the axle spindle andsuitably secured thereon so that the Wheel may freely rotate about-suchspindle. In the travel of the vehicle equipped with the wheelsconstructed i`n accordance with the present invention, should any one ofthe wheels strike an obstruction in the roadway the felly, spokes andannulus 4 will move relatively to the hub against the action of thesprings 6, the latter 'absorbing the shock and so preventing unduevibration of the body of the vehicle. On the other hand, should one ofthe Wheels drop into a depression, the hub of such Wheel will moverelatively to the annulus 4, spokes and felly, upon the wheel strikingthe bottom of the depression, the

springs 6 taking/uo the-shock in this movement of the hub. It will benoted that the hub, or felly, tends to move in a. vertical directionagainst the action of the springs 6, when a depression or obstruction ismet in the roadway, but the springs, being semicoiled, cause the hub, orfelly, to turn slightly in the vertical movement thereof therebyreducing the strain u on the springs and enabling the latter to eectively absorb the shock.

Should -the drive wheels of a motor vehicle be equipped with shockabsorbing devices constructed as illustrated and described, the rotationof the driving axle will be transferred from the hubs of the wheelsfixed upon such axle through the springs' to the annulus, spokes andfelly,` and the hubs, upon the initial application of power thereto,especially if `the power is transferred to the driving axle suddenly,will tend to coil the semi-coiled springs 6 about the hub, therebyeliminating jarring of the vehicle in the starting thereof.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings, I have shown the shock absorbing device ascomposed of two sets of semi-coiled springs 6 disposed side by side, thecoils of one set extending in a direction opposite from the coils of theother set, the inner ends of the coils being disposed within the ways inthe periphery of the hub and secured therein as previously described,and the outer ends of the springs being fastened Within the ways in theinner edge of the annulus 4. This construction of shock absorbing devicewill be found especially useful on the drive wheels of motor vehicles,as one set of springs will act to take up the shock of the too suddenstarting of the vehicle in one, direction, while the other set ofsprings will act in a like manner to take up the shock when thedirection of movement of the vehicle is reversed.

In practice, the driving connections for the speedometer of the vehiclemaybe ef- Ithe strength of such springs may be varied in accordance withthe load carried by the vehicle.

I claim:

In a device of the kind described in combination, a disk having opposingintegral concentric hub portions and a central bore registeringtherewith, a Wheel having a. series of spokes, a circular ring intowhich the inner ends of the spokes project and being of a largerdiameter than said disk but of equal Width with respect thereto, a pairof shields engaging the opposite sides of said ring, each of saidshields having an annular member providing a circular opening of larger'diameter than said disk, said shields having right angular angesfitting over said ring and innercircular ledges disposed laterally ofthe ring so as to space said shields from the rings, a buier. ringseated against each of said circular ledges and engaging the shields andring respectively, a pair of end plates slidably engaging said ring andsaid shields, a pair of integral oppositely extending bosses formed uponsaid plates and having openings through which the hub sections project,a series of tie bolts passing through the bosses of the plate forholding them against transverse displacement, said bolts projectingthrough the ring, and a series of leaf springs secured between saidplate and at one end to said tie bolts and at their opposite ends to thesaid ring.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

CHARLES L. FLORA.

Witnesses s HERMAN GREINER, AN'roN MUELLER.

